Knowing The Word in Matthew 26:1-5

The Plot to Kill Jesus

1 When Jesus had finished all these sayings [Jesus’ teaching is now over as Matthew inserts “all” into his transition formula that divides his book into five sections; this is the fifth and last section of his gospel], he said to his disciples, 2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” [It is no coincidence that this is happening at Passover. “After two days” means the day after tomorrow. To understand the chronology is difficult. “Passover day” was Nisan 14 when the lambs were killed in the late afternoon, but the term was used for the whole festival. Because the Jewish day began at sunset, the Passover meal was served on Nisan 15. The date as Jesus speaks could therefore be either Nisan 12 or 13.]

3 Then the chief priests and the elders [ a sub-committee of the Sanhedrin] of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas [High Priest from AD 18 to 36], 4 and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth [away from the crowds] and kill him. [Of interest, the scribes and Pharisees are not part of this meeting.] 5 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”